Transcript

Enhancing elderly well-being through technology:
An integrating literature review
Kolehmainen, Millicent N.
2016 Laura Otaniemi
Enhancing Elderly well-being through technology: An integrating literature review
Millicent N. Kolehmainen
Degree Programme in Health Promotion
Master’s Thesis
January, 2016
Laurea University of Applied Sciences
Abstract
Otaniemi
Master of Health Care
Degree Programme in Health Promotion
Millicent N. Kolehmainen
Enhancing elderly well-being through technology: An integrating Literature review
Year
2016
Pages
37
According to World health organization (WHO) older people have been defined as a
chronological age of 65 years, although this may differ in different societies. Generally, it
refers to the age where an individual begins to receive pension (WHO 2014). Similarly, the
Centre for Disease Control (CDC) 2007, defines elderly as greater than 65 years of age.
Demographically, several categories ranging from young old, oldest old to frail elderly defines
how the elderly´s cognitive and physical changes deteriorate as they grow older. It is
therefore imperative to offer them support either from their families, agencies or health
institutions
The purpose of this thesis was to investigate different technologies that enhance elderly wellbeing in order to make a conclusion for good care practice.
The aims of the study were; a) to explore the technologies that exist, b) to describe how
these technologies are incorporated into elderly care, and c) to evaluate their importance in
promoting communication and emotional support to the elderly. An integrating method of
literation review was applied focusing on the use of technology in European, American, Asian
and African societies that promote health among the elderly at home in their own settings or
to designated health institutions. The literature and empirical evidence gathered
demonstrate that technology can contribute heavily to the elderly well-being so long as the
applications are geared towards independent living (Griffith 2013).
Key words: ageing, elderly, well-being technology, skype, integrating literature review
Table of contents
1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 1
2 Elderly and wellbeing.................................................................................... 3
2.1 Ageing population ................................................................................... 3
2.2 Elderly well-being ................................................................................... 4
2.3 Elderly well-being and technology................................................................ 5
3 Purpose of the study .................................................................................... 13
4 Methodology ............................................................................................. 14
4.1 Integrating literature review ..................................................................... 14
4.2 Data collection ..................................................................................... 16
4.3 Data analysis ........................................................................................ 18
4.4 Ethical aspects and trustworthiness ............................................................. 19
5 Results .................................................................................................... 20
6 Conclusion and discussion .............................................................................. 23
References ................................................................................................. 27
Appendix .................................................................................................... 33
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1 Introduction
In this thesis ´ Enhancing elderly well-being through technology´, a focus on elderly care
using different interventions in terms of technology have been highlighted and broadly
illustrated through an integrating approach to literature review.
Although not very many studies have been carried out with elderly, it is true that as they age
and their children move out, the gap once occupied by responsibilities suddenly is filled by
the need to have friends. Through these friendships, a network is formed among them which
leads to development of activities with similar interests and these keeps them psychological
and physically healthy. This is due to the support they draw from each other.
Older adults prefer familiar and established relationships over new ones, meaning that
friendship formation can continue in old age. As they age, elderly people prefer to stick with
older routines, socialize with neighbours or those living within their community. Their choice
is probably because of they relate to them or trust them the most or simply share the same
interests. Unlike younger generation who have a variety of friends from all walks of life
regardless of age, sex, or creed.
Older women, in particular, have more secondary friends people who are not intimates, but
with whom they spend time occasionally, such as in groups that meet for lunch or bridge. For
those that cannot meet frequently, the use of skype to communicate with each other will
serve as a tool that will help improve their psychological well-being (McPherson, Smith-Lovin
& Brashears 2006).
These technologies have been developed for use in long-term health care facilities, hospitals,
and recreational facilities in the communities and in home settings. This has contributed to
delivery of care in a faster and efficient way therefore saving costs; saving time in queues for
prescriptions or appointments or having to drive for miles for a minor procedure. Some
limitations may arise as well. For example; confidentiality issues when using skype or other
video conferencing devices, breakdown of communication, difficult to operate equipment or
to understand technology jargon. For successful results, the presence of personnel to assist
them is always essential as opposed to leaving them entirely under the care of machines.
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The purpose of this thesis is to find out how technology can enhance the well-being of the
elderly people in order to make a conclusion for good care practice. The method of the thesis
is an integrating literature review. The importance of these technologies enables independent
living and cost effective care to the elderly population.
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2 Elderly and wellbeing
2.1 Ageing population
According to the 2015 Revision of the World population prospects in New York (United nations
2015), as fertility declines and life expectancy rises, the proportion of the population above a
certain age rises. This phenomenon, known as population ageing, is occurring throughout the
world. In 2015, there are 901 million people aged 60 or over, comprising 12 per cent of the
global population. The population aged 60 or above is growing at a rate of 3.26 per cent per
year. Currently, Europe has the greatest percentage of its population aged 60 or over (24 per
cent), but rapid ageing will occur in other parts of the world as well, so that, by 2050, all
major areas of the world except Africa will have nearly a quarter or more of their populations
aged 60 or over. The number of older persons in the world is projected to be 1.4 billion by
2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050, and could rise to 3.2 billion in 2100. In the short-to-medium
term, higher numbers of older population are inevitable, given that the relevant cohorts are
already alive.
Figure 1
An aging population
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2.2 Elderly well-being
Well-being has been defined as the balance point between an individual’s resource pool and
the challenges faced. In essence, stable wellbeing is when individuals have the psychological,
social and physical resources they need to meet a particular psychological, social and/or
physical challenge. When individuals have more challenges than resources, the see-saw dips,
along with their wellbeing, and vice-versa (Dodge, Daly, Huyton & Sanders 2012).
It is evident that the number of elderly people is increasing every year. This rise would
definitely affect how medical and non-medical caring measures are distributed. In the United
Kingdom, these kinds of informal care have been put into consideration when developing new
care policies (WRVS 2012).
This demographic shift coupled with changes in family-related behaviour such as divorce and
having children outside marriage, has raised concerns about the availability of family support
for older people (Tiomassini, Kalogirou, Grundy, Fokkena et al, 2004). It is evident that
informal care is mainly provided by family members ranging from activities of daily living to
counselling and emotional support. Due to their frailty, they require guidance on handling
financial issues, accessing information regarding health or general matters of life, moving
from one place to the other and finding a confidant. This support forms a give and take´
relationship in which elderly people not only receive but also give support e.g. financially to
their adult children and their grandchildren, housing, baby-sitting services, emotional support
and advice.
A recent research carried out through cooperation between WRVS, the Centre for Citizen
Participation at Brunel University and the Centre for Social Action at De Montfort University,
has shown that having fun with and being cared for, loved and valued by close family
members are the most important aspects contributing to well-being for many older people
(Hoban, James, Patrick, Beresford & Fleming, 2011: 21). Research on indicators of potential
family support particularly how close adult children live and frequency of contact has
therefore become an important topic in sociological and demographic research as well as in
the broader socio-political debate.
The quantity as well as quality of social interactions has been identified as predictors of wellbeing (Cohen, 2004; Fiorillo & Sabatini, 2011). Regular contact with children may be
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beneficial to health as it facilitates accessibility to social support and healthcare and help
promote health messages, and this ensures that healthy behaviour is adopted (Fiorillo &
Sabatini, 2011). Additionally, social contact has been proven to combat stress and anxiety
through the provision of effective practical and emotional support and also by acting as a
source of self-esteem and respect (Fiorillo & Sabatini, 2011). In the WRVS Shaping our Age
study, older people mention that being with others focuses their minds on matters other than
their own worries and puts any concerns into perspective (Hoban, James, Pattrick, Beresford
& Fleming, 2011: 21).
On the contrary, a lack of social contact can lead to poor physical health outcomes (Cacioppo
& Hawkley, 2003) and depression (Hawthorne, 2008). Contact with family becomes is
considered important for elderly people who live alone and suffer from an ailment or simply
those with poor health status because isolation can create the conditions for problems with
older people’s physical and mental health (WRVS, 2012). It is no doubt that those who live
alone are significantly less likely to have visited a doctor as a result of a fall or what they
consider a minor ailment. This lack of social interaction means that they are less likely to
have people noticing deterioration in their condition (WRVS2012). Limited contact also leads
to a loss of intimacy, which further exacerbates loneliness, isolation and depression (Allen,
2008).
2.3 Elderly well-being and technology
Technology has been broadly defined as the application of scientific knowledge resulting in
artefacts that support the practical aims of human life. A living environment on the other
hand is a generic term that is used to indicate place of residence. Routine life activities are a
collection of activities of daily living that are needed for an individual to maintain functioning
and quality of life (Horgas & Abowd 2004).
According to the Pew Internet & American Life on-going Project (2010), slightly more than
one-half of American adults aged 65 and older use the internet or e-mail, and 70% of older
adults online use the internet on a daily basis. Social networking also is increasing among this
age group, as about one-third of older adult internet users visit sites such as Facebook and
LinkedIn, up from 13% in 2009. Eleven percent of adults aged 65 and older own a smartphone.
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With the increasing rise in technology, the traditional face to face contact is slowly fading
away paving way to a more modern and sophisticated information and communication
technologies. This are becoming popular among those who live far from each other and
the increased potential for interaction over distance has also influenced the possibilities to
receive help and support. These include communications devices such as telephones, mobile
phones, emails and, webcam tools such as Skype and social networking sites such as
Facebook, which make communication easier when children live far apart.
A conversation carried out through the telephone excludes the non-verbal content of a faceto-face visit unlike Skype or video-conferencing calls which provide the function of a ‘social
presence’ although one which excludes physical contact such as hugs and kisses. 85 per cent
of Skype users in a survey carried out by Horgas et al (2004) agree that it makes them feel
more connected. A benefit of Skype or other similar internet based communication software
is that users can make calls over the internet to another person who has the same software
installed, for free anywhere in the world.
In the same study, the majority of respondents, 95 per cent, do not ever use Skype to
communicate with their children. This non-use is because 42 per cent do not know how to use
online technology such as Skype or email.
The same study by Horgas (2004) indicates that from overall Skype users, one quarter use
Skype to contact their children weekly; however there is a big regional difference with the
fewest users in England 21%,
in Wales 38% and the greatest number in Scotland 75% which
may be indicative of geographical placements. 36 per cent of Skype users live over 200 miles
away from their nearest child. Of these Skype users, 39 per cent are in contact with their
children every day.
It is evident that rural and remote areas are more likely to make use of the internet (Howick
& Walley, 2006; Ofcom, 2006). In a study conducted in Scotland, it was observed that older
people aged 60 and over, living in a broadband pilot area, with little or no computer
experience started using computers citing the attraction of using teleconferencing to
communicate with distant relatives (Bernardi, Buneman & Marina, 2009).
Studies have also shown that increasingly older people use the internet to stay in touch with
grandchildren as children who use email at school or to keep in touch with friends can easily
send messages faster through email to their loved ones (Dickinson & Hill, 2007). The
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advantages of email and online networking sites such as Facebook are that they may be used
to send photos, documents or to appoint future online talks. Email and Facebook, like Skype
and unlike telephone calls, are a relatively cheap way of keeping in contacting with relatives
who live at a distance; however, there is the consideration of the cost of the internet
connection (WRVS 2012). The results showed that 11 per cent of those questioned contacted
their children via these online methods. It was no surprise that from internet users 6 per cent
of 85 years old and over were connecting with their children online. Demo’s research
identified that older people were more likely to be ‘hampered by fear and uncertainty’ in
using the internet (Berry, 2011: Hannon & Bradwell, 2007). Additionally, there was a variation
on gender with men more likely to use email and skype to contact their children than women.
This may be because email messages may be used to convey specific information and not
general ‘chat’.
Distance affects online contact similarly to Skype use, with the numbers of people using these
methods increasing with distance apart from children. 13 per cent of those who use email and
Skype to get in touch live over 100 miles away from their nearest child.
In recent years there has been an explosion in technological innovation in the field of elderly
care. Due to an increase in elderly population, this has a great impact on workforce and
hence a need to provide for the older people. The number of over-65s in Britain stood at 15
per cent in 1985. By 2010 this had risen to 17 per cent – an increase of 1.7 million. It is
projected that by 2035 those over 65 will make up 23 per cent of the population. Such
indicators calls for actions to be taken immediately to find technological solutions to elderly
care, motivated by a need both to improve services and to save costs.
Much of the technology in development can be broadly broken down into two categories;
monitoring and surveillance. Whereby electronic devices keep track of a person’s medical
condition and automatically alert health care staff when intervention is required; Sensors can
also be fitted into the home that will alert staff members if, for example, someone is not in
bed which may be an indication of a fall or other misfortunes.
An increasing use of assistive technologies is greatly in being utilised in the communities.
These range from a simple device to help an arthritic hand turn on a tap, to a robotic
machine that is able to spoon-feed an older person without the need for health care staff
attention.
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Much of this technology is designed to be fitted into the home to allow independent living for
as long as possible.
Of course there are some issues of elderly abuse that may be associated with independent
living. When providing care to the elderly people, it is important to consider the level of
service versus the cost. The main contention of this issue being; as much as these inventions
improve the quality of life of the elderly people, it is much more cost effective to provide
care for them at home in their own settings surrounded by their loved ones whilst freeing the
space occupied by them in the hospitals. But on the flipside, the enactment of this policy may
have good intentions but for the wrong reasons.
On one hand, some may argue that in the future when technology would be much pronounced
and utilised in health care facilities; most of health care workers´ tasks would be done
allocated to technology leaving staff more quality time to spend with their patients. But on
the other hand, as much as technology utilization makes work easier; it is important tom take
charge and not be guide by machines but rather guide the technology (Griffith 2013).
In the field of robotics, experts warn of the potential of imprisoning the elderly in their own
homes through heaping them with one technology after the other. This means that when
there are surrounded and tended by machines in every corner of their home, they feel
trapped and socially isolated. This may seem farfetched in this era but in the years to come,
robots will be occupying every household; thanks to the rate at which inventions of
technologies are growing (Griffith 2013).
Examples of technologies that are already being utilised in our communities include; a
pressure sensitive underlay that can measure people’s gait, a carpet fitted with a fibre-optic
mid-layer which detects the pressure of each footstep and sends data to a computer where
they can be analysed. These technologies are of great importance as they not only detect a
fall (a common occurrence among the elderly), but also pick up changes in a person’s gait
over time, and so act as a predictor of a likelihood of falling, allowing a health care
professional to be alerted if required. This is vital because by detecting a potential to fall and
admission to hospitals to ultimate surgeries can be averted (Griffith 2013).
Statistically, an estimated 30 to 40 per cent of a community-dwelling old people fall each
year, and that falls in the home account for 50 per cent of hospital admissions in the over-65
age group, by introducing and using this technology, there´s an ultimate reduction of costs in
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the health care services. Both of these technologies can easily be fit in elderly persons´ own
home to assist in independent living (Griffith 2013).
Independent living for older people enablers comprise of telehealth and telecare
technologies. These two terms complement each other and are sometimes used
interchangeably in reference to a collection of applications ranging from sensors placed in the
home that can transmit information about the posture of the elderly either in bed, sitting in a
chair or on the floor having fallen, to the monitoring of blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Whatever the readings, the information is gathered in the home prior to analysis at a central
data centre, allowing health care staff to be alerted as appropriate.
Despite the advantages listed above, there has been some criticism aired towards the use of
telehealth technologies. According to Professor Goodwin (Griffith 2013), these are a) validity
and reliability, b) acceptance of the intrusion and loss of control by the elderly over the
machines and, c) cost effectiveness in health institutions.
Other technologies include; blood sugar monitoring devices like Gore-Tex patch which is
placed on the upper arm fitted with a chip, which transmits data back to a mobile phone and
displays a warning similar to that on a traffic light system of red, amber or green meant for
diabetes control. Regardless of age, it is not uncommon to forget to test one´s own blood
sugar levels, and this is even worse particularly in the elderly because of cognitive changes.
By installing this device in their homes, the level of compliance and adherence is certainly
made easier in the elderly and encourage independent living.
An upcoming technology called pervasive computing, which means that a computer is always
working in the background at home operates in such a way that a combination of sensors,
trackers and software analysis ‘learns’ to identify a person performing simple tasks. This is
specifically being developed to assist those diagnosed with an early-stage dementia. When
the computer senses the task being performed, it then provides an audible prompt for the
next stage.
Robotics also plays a great role in elderly care. Some have been developed in Japan for
example for hygiene purposes such as washing hair or feeding patients completely
independent of health care staff. Other robotics is responsive to movement and human voice,
which is convenient to supply to nursing homes or residential homes particularly to those
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living alone. They are designed to offer companionship to elderly people suffering from
dementia sufferers and combat the loneliness that so often afflicts the elderly.
As quoted by Griffith (2013), Sharkey argued there could be some concerns that these
technologies, designed to prolong independent living, may actually end up increasing the
level of isolation experienced by older people. It is evident that older people prefer to remain
in their own home surrounded by their loved ones but most often despite being in their own
home, but with only assisted technologies for company is not ideal. But on the contrary, being
in a nursing care home surrounded by people who are not family members or friends is indeed
a perplexing matter
Older adults are the fastest growing population in the US and Europe, but are often overlooked in technology design. Online communication tool skype seem to have a particular
appeal for older adults who want to stay in touch with family and friends but often have
limited mobility or funds to travel and limited technical resources for setting up things like
software and webcams.
With an increase in older people population, so has been an increase in their interest to
access the internet. It is evident that older people over 60 years of age are visiting and
different websites like Facebook, Google, Yahoo and YouTube. Using these media, elderly
people are able to send messages through emails, chats and messages. The end result is that
they are now able to communicate with friends and family or other significant others, keeping
up with current news, community developments and managing their health issues.
Additionally, a recent study carried out by eMarketer has shown that the aging population has
become especially become more receptive to social media. They reported that almost 36
percent of the aging population between the ages of 63 and 75 actively maintained a profile
on the social web in 2009, which was an increase from the previous year. A similar research
by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life report also reported a profound increase
of 50 year olds and older accessing the social media (Cohen 2010).
Technology designed for the elderly has tremendously grown in popularity not only in western
world but also in Africa and Asia. These technologies are available in Zambia, Hong Kong and
Ireland and are been utilized to access health information electronically from the comfort of
their homes.
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There are several factors that have contributed to this rise in technology mainly in developed
countries; a tremendous increase in elderly population, a revolutionary development in the
technology itself, an increase in knowledge about the elderly and their needs and, a general
concern for their well-being.
Efforts have been put in place to provide these technologies while at the same time minimize
costs. The aim of this venture is to develop assistive technologies that function within home
settings under minimal or no supervision from health care staff. This way, the elderly can be
cared for in their homes and their health monitored electronically. They can also seek help in
case of emergencies using the same channel.
These technologies are made accessible within the communities either from nursing homes,
hospitals, community centres or elderly homes. They are designed to be utilized in different
applications in order to provide the best care possible to the elderly. For example, to support
telehealth, leisure, obtain information, communications, and gaming. They also offer
psychological supports in terms of game playing, radio installations, internet training
programmes to cub loneliness, enhance their computer literacy and to improve their cognitive
abilities.
The development of ICT (information and communication technology) has brought about the
unification of different technologies or applications that are used in the community for
various tasks. The development of a framework for technology enhances a community based
informatics to partner with other applications to focus on the needs of its residence forming a
symbiotic effect. This means that mutual connection is formed where the applications
monitor the health of the elderly and transfer results to the data centre; while the elderly
improves their computer literacy and services it independently.
This interaction between the technology and the community at large is geared towards
developing and providing applications that are tailored towards an individual person. This
means that when a device records information, the reactions to the results are only directed
to that particular person in terms of intervention measures. In telehealth for example, sensor
gathers information on the health status of an elderly person i.e. blood sugar levels; this data
is conveyed through the internet to the respective health care staff through collaboration
between the community and health care providers.
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The convergence of different people within a community via the internet portrays a common
interest and carrying out a gaming activity such as Wii enhances physiological and social
development of the older person (Loeb 2012).
This community information focus is seen globally in the design and implementation of the
applications as well. For example, residents in a village in Zambia, Africa worked together to
get the radio and internet technology and maintain it, the use of an alarm system connecting
a community in Hong Kong with health care givers and a group of elderly people taking
computers classes from a fellow age mate in United States.
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3 Purpose of the study
The purpose of this thesis is to find out how technology can enhance the well-being of the
elderly people in order to make a conclusion for good care practice. The aims of the study
were; a) to explore the technologies that exist, b) to describe how these technologies are
incorporated into elderly care, and c) to evaluate their importance in promoting
communication and emotional support to the elderly.
The study questions of the thesis are as follows:
1. What kind of technologies exists?
2. How are these technologies incorporated into elderly care?
3. What kind of importance in promoting communication and emotional support is
described?
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4 Methodology
4.1 Integrating literature review
According to Bensman (2007), literature reviews form an important part of academic writing
just as much as they contribute to all areas of academics. The process of locating the right
research material is often easier with the assistance of librarians who area equipped with
knowledge to carry out their duties (McKibbon 2006). Literature reviews are usually a part of
the main research paper but sometimes, they can be published as research publications on
their own merit (Garfield 1997).
The integrative literature review is a distinctive form of research that generates new
knowledge about the topic reviewed. A distinctive difference between an integrating review
and a systematic one is that; the latter follows a structured approach with subsequent steps
i.e. identification of a body of potentially relevant research publications, followed by an
evaluation of the publication according to the defined criteria. Such a process is therefore
potentially reproducible by other researchers (Greenhalgh 1997; Kitchenham & Charters
2007). However, it has been argued that the incorporation of systematic reviews in the field
of medicine causes delays due to unnecessary studies and hence late treatments (Mulrow
1995).
Oxman (1995) suggests that in order to combat such problematic issues, other rigorous
approaches are utilised in systematic. This means that the research question being
investigated has to be fixed before the literature review starts. One of the main
disadvantages of this approach is that; there is a restriction to accessing more data since the
research question is already fixed. Additionally, a researcher cannot diverge into other areas
or gather new information from other sources (MacLure 2005). For example in the field of
social sciences and humanities, research questions are not clear cut and therefore evolve over
the course of the research.
In this thesis however, an integrating literature review was used because, according to Rusell
(2005), it has many benefits to the scholarly viewer. Through a collection of data from several
sources, it identifies the central issue, generate a research question and identify a theoretical
or conceptual framework. The process involves identification of the issue, collecting data,
evaluation of data, data analysis and lastly, interpretation and presentation of results. It is
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of vital importance to maintain scientific integrity and keeping awareness on threats to
validity. When using an integrating review methodology, a combination of a detailed and
thoughtful work is paramount to the outcome of the research work.
Databases search
-using keywords
40 articles
1st screening
-abstracts reviewed based on the
inclusion criteria
11 articles excluded
29 articles included
2nd screening
-full text reviewed based on the
inclusion criteria
14 articles excluded
15 articles included
Figure 2 Data collection process
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4.2 Data collection
Research has extensively been carried out throughout the years regarding the elderly. A
majority of these been published online without peer review ranging from magazines,
newsletters, personal reviews; whilst others are found in nursing journals, editorials, case
reports, research articles. In this case, all the above published articles from google scholar,
articles from private sectors on the internet, PubMed (Medline) and nursing journals were
reviewed. Search terms included “elderly and technology”, “elderly and skype” and “elderly
care” and well-being were included. This ranged from the year 2000 to 2015.
An extensive search was done on European and American societies using the terms indicated
above from numerous articles and those considered relevant were included in this thesis.
Titles and abstracts were examined and when abstracts met the inclusion and exclusion
criteria the full text of the article was obtained.
Inclusion criteria
The criteria for selecting articles were:

articles focusing on the elderly

articles describing the use of technology on elderly population

articles on enhancement of elderly well-being using technology
Exclusion criteria

articles which were not published in English language

articles which addressed the elderly but have no relevancy to the thesis
Materials
In the preliminary search, several articles were identified in regards to elderly and
technology, elderly, technology and well-being. This search yielded one article by Loe (2010)
published online in 2012 that included all three search words.
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The total number of articles selected was initially 40 published between the years 2000-2015.
After reading the abstracts, more articles were included from the references found from
these articles. Additional information was also gathered from newsletters online and research
studies. All information was examined according to relevance and was included into the final
analysis. The initial articles included are in described in table 1.
Table 1: Overview of included studies
AUTHORS
TITLE
TYPE
SAMPLE
TOOLS
Baruah, T. D. (2012) in
Journal of Scientific and
Research Publications (Vol. 2
issue 5) ISSN 2250-3153
Effectiveness
of social
media as a
tool of
communicatio
n and its
potential for
technology
enabled
connections: A
micro-level
study.
International
Older Citizens
and Video
Communicatio
ns: A case
study.
National
research
council
Canada.
The Impact of
new Social
Media on
Intercultural
Adaptation
Microlevel study
Residents
of
Guwahati
city
internet ,
magazines,
books and
journals
Case study
16 citizens
>55yrs
ICT
Study explored
motivation for using
video conferencing
Investigati
ve study
Internatio
nal
students
social
media
How student use social
media
Nef, T., Ganea, R. L. & Murii,
R.M.(2013). In International
Psychogeriatrics Association.
doi:10.1017/S1041610213000
355
Social
networking
sites and older
users-a
systemic
review.
Systematic
review
Senior
citizens
Computeriz
ed
databases,
inckludid
105 articles
WRVS (2012). Web based
publication
http://www.royalvoluntaryse
rvice.org.uk/Uploads/Docume
nts/How_we_help/lonelinessamongst-older-people-andthe-impact-of-familyconnections.pdf
Loneliness
amongst older
people and
the impact of
family
connections.
Research
report
Older
people
18 articles were
included in the
literature review for
proximity and
geographical distance
between older people
and their children
Study assessed
Milliken, M. C., O`DonNell,
S., Gibson, K. & Daniels, B.
(2012). in The Journal of
Community informatics. Vol.
8 no. 1
Sawyer, R. (2011).In Senior
honors ProjectS. Paper 242
http://digitalcommons.uri.ed
u/srhonorsprog/242
REVIEWED
18
More articles were included as the writing continued to obtain more information to support
the aim of the thesis.
4.3 Data analysis
Inductive content analysis was used to analyse these studies in order to ensure validity.
Content analysis is a technique used in health sciences to analyse verbal and written
material. This means that the text is classified into smaller content categories using a set of
codes to reduce volumes of material into more manageable data (Krippendorf 2004; Elo &
Kyngas 2007).
In this case, the table below illustrates the process of open coding, creating categories and
abstraction by listing down narratives of elderly people using different technologies; and an
illustration of documented different research outcomes on devices developed to enhance
their well-being. This is done in order to demonstrate the answer to the research question.
Data analysis is described in Appendix 1. An example of data analysis is in the following table
2.
Table 2
Example of data analysis concerning technologies
Authenticated
Reduced
Sub class
A small Gore-Tex patch with a subdermal probe that monitors
blood sugar levels and a chip, which transmits data back to a
mobile phone and displays a warning signal.
Programmes on ICT developed in Ireland to provide computer
literacy and adaptive devices for the aging, vision impaired
community
Blood sugar monitoring
device
Blood
sugar
patch and a
chip
ICT services
Tele-Physical Examination and Tele-Care Systems for Elderly
People. It consists of graphs and diagnostic tools for selfexamination. The results are transmitted to the medical
community. This is a joint cooperation between the scientific
developers, the medical community, and the elderly
participants
Tele-Physical and telecare systems for selfexamination
Development
of
ICT
projects for the aging
population
Self-diagnostic
tools
19
4.4 Ethical aspects and trustworthiness
According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2007) one of the faster growing
segments of the population are the elderly with over 70 million American citizens by 2030.
The growth is attributed mainly to the advances in health care research which has a great
impact on living longer. This rise in elderly population forms an integral part in population
history which calls for more research work hence, a greater need to observe ethical principles
when dealing with such a vulnerable group.
According to Whitbeck (1995), a research method in itself is never reliable or unreliable. Its
trustworthiness is determined in relation to what is being examined. In this thesis, the
evidence gathered from the review and from the findings; it’s no doubt that integrating
review was the ultimate and appropriate method to the study as it aligns with the purpose of
the thesis.
In literature reviews, the main ethical issues include;
1. selection and ,or publication bias and literature accessibility
2. accurate and fair treatment of existing research (including issues of misrepresentation
of results, plagiarism, and academic fraud)
3. respect of original study participants’ consent and confidentiality
4. ethics of the research included in the review
5. permissions to use and reproduce materials
6. conflicts of interest
The articles reviewed ranged from the year 2000-2015, therefore making some over 10years
old which may be considered redundant. However, those articles were relevant to accomplish
the purpose of the thesis.
Documentation of the inclusion and exclusion criteria helps with the repeatability of the study
and also brings additional quality to the study.
20
5 Results
From the findings gathered it is evident that technology does enhance the well-being of the
elderly. The study has shown that the use of cell phones, computers, and the internet provide
an insight on social participation and access to information, and, overall how to increase
technology confidence and skills.
It is evident that cognitive and physical impairment form the process of aging and as a result;
assistive technologies enhance their smooth transformation of life. Therefore, for these
technologies to qualify, some factors ought to be considered as illustrated below;
Figure 3 Assistive technologies (Cmap 2014).
The technologies mentioned in this study were universally developed to meet the needs of
individual persons in different residential settings for the purposes of enhancing their wellbeing. The following sub-categories were written down during the reading process: Virtual
storytelling, ICT, Games, Ci technology, Instant messenger, On-line communities, Skype,
Visual tools.
21
The categories were then divided into three theme-categories in alignment with the aims of
the thesis (Table 3)
Table 3
Types, use and support of different technologies
Types of technologies
How technologies are used
Support system
ICT
-through Ipads to surf the
internet
-as a personal locater
-internet programs for vision
impaired
-Games, exercises, puzzles
-online game-qq farm
-cognitive improvement &
communication
-emergency services
-to improve literacy &
adaptation
-to maintain mental health
-the games build strong
family bonds, getting in
touch with their adult
children and receiving caring
and loving messages which
were crucial for their health
and well-being.
-increased and continued use
of computers , improved
ability and development of
confidence with computer
and internet technology,
leading to social
connectivity, easy access to
information, and social and
civic participation
-computer training
programme
-distance learning
programme
Virtual story telling
entertainment and hobbies,
accessing support and
information about health
topics, and managing daily
activities e.g. banking and
shopping
-improve social, emotional
life and promote
independent living
-through the internet
-Youtube
-emotional & social support
discipline & unsupportive
story telling
-through the internet
-eradicate loneliness &
increase social relationships
22
Ci technology
-email,facebook
Instant messenger
-self-diagnostic tool
-grand-parent grandchild
communication
from the computer, cell
phones
communication
from computers , cell phones
social communication,
healthcare services,
skype & video conferencing
communication purposes
Skype
Visual tools
encourage independent living
Remote patient-operated
remote monitoring
technology
cooperative development
between the patient, the
medical community &
instrument developers
Nintendo Wii video game
used in a nursing home
environment through Tv
the elderly transmit
Community radio, phone & information on culture &
intangible heritage to shape
internet
the future
social interaction
signifying the culture through
communication
23
6 Conclusion and discussion
The purpose of this thesis was to investigate different technologies that enhance elderly wellbeing in order to make a conclusion for good care practice.
From the study, the results demonstrated that the use of information and communication
technologies have boosted social networking among the elderly, improved their knowledge
and skills and access to information. This confirms that technology does enhance the wellbeing of the elderly which is a part of holistic care.
A good care practice is a technique or methodology that, through experience and research,
has proven to reliably lead to a desired result. The results from this thesis were a collection
of researched work by professionals who used their knowledge and tested different
technologies at their disposal to ensure success in supporting the elderly and their caregivers.
Through these technologies providing care has been easier with a resultant decrease in health
care costs.
These technologies ranged from ICT, virtual tools, robotics, mats, games, to self-operated
remote monitoring systems. Although all of them played a great role in enhancing the wellbeing of the elderly, virtual tools , games, and assistive devices stood out because they
created a social network and communication portal e.g. skype where visual of both parties
was possible. It also stimulated thought process and assistive devices encouraged
independency.
The technologies were incorporated through computers in form of games, training sessions,
stuffed animals or patches. The most important aspects of such technologies, was that the
elderly could live normal lives without the hassle of having a nurse around the clock to cater
for their every need. However, it was not easy for the elderly to accumulate so much
knowledge on the technical aspects of these technologies and therefore difficult to put into
use in some degree.
Through virtual tools; video conferences and YouTube have made it easier for the elderly to
virtually communicate with their doctors, socially connect with friends and family and have a
freedom to tell their stories without any inhibitions. All these have contributed to emotional
support and confidence to communicate.
24
The study is based on literature review specifically, integrative literature review, which is a
distinctive form of research that generates new knowledge about the topic reviewed. The
study is based on data collected from different articles i.e. secondary data, therefore the
reliability and validity cannot be fully attested as this requires both primary and secondary
research data. The integrative review methodology involves detailed and thoughtful work, the
outcome of which is a significant contribution to this study. However, it consumes a lot of
time to collect data and more effort to integrate all information learned.
Confidentiality is a great concern too when exchanging personal and health information over
the internet. The devices require constant care and sometimes personnel on sight in case of
repairs.
While it is true that the use of technology makes a large difference in the lives of many
elderly people, it is important to consider their state of health and the environment they live
be considered in its development. For example, elderly people living alone require those
technologies that eliminate loneliness while providing companionship (Leikas et al 2012). For
a particular technology to carry out the tasks it has been designed for, it is important to
consider the potential users as individuals who will easily access the product and benefit from
it hence an improved well-being and their quality of life (Gitlin 2000, 2002).
It is evident that the use of technology is becoming more and more popular in our society.
This does not only apply to the younger generation but also in older people who are
fascinated by all the available gadgets and want to use them. Although older adults are not as
quick a study as their younger counterparts, there has been an increasing use of social media
as such Facebook and skype as a communication tool to connect with their families, friends
and caregivers. According to Reardon (2010), there are some social workers who ignore the
role of technology in older adults’ and therefore jeopardize the opportunity to help older
people maintain and improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
The aims and purposes for the thesis were not duplicated from other writers. Otherwise it
would have been un-ethical. According to research articles gathered, all the participants
involved in previous studies have been quoted and maintained their integrity without
misinterpretation of the results. There was no mention of forceful or coerced participation
from the publications retrieved. However, those case reports and blogs found on the internet
cannot be ascertained to be 100% accurate in terms of following the ethical guidelines.
25
Some of the limitations of this study were; a) technology may not be enough in itself and
therefore requires personnel involvement for continuous feedback from the consumer to the
manufacturer and vice versa, b) challenges of learning about new information and
communication technologies by elderly members secondary to late-stage in life (Loeb 2012),
c) Physical limitations for example video chats which require physical presence and the use
complicated settings. Most of the elderly people are interested in using these technologies for
the diverse benefits they offer but most importantly for fun. In order to increase participation
and encourage the elderly to use available technologies, then a few adjustments should be
made to accommodate their needs, for example structural design, and skill development. The
study confirms that older people realize that their capabilities in terms of using technologies
to certain extend. As much as they try, there are some technical barriers associated with age
that prevent them from utilizing these technologies to the fullest, and that they may project
that thinking on other people. They often perceive that technologies are meant for younger
generations and these may lower their morale leading to frustrations attributed to ageism
rather than other factors such as shortcomings in technological design (Broady et al 2010).
In the future, it is important to consider the elderly while designing these technologies since
it is evident that older citizens are often using these tools to enable intergenerational
communication in both the private and public spheres of their lives. It is vital to remember
that elderly people have political, economic, social, and community rights and responsibilities
to participate in the creation of ICT tools. Therefore, as Harley (2009) states; the sectors
involved in the development and marketing of these products should recognize the elderly as
a viable and valid group of technology users.
Many technologies are available in the market and even more are developed and improved
every day. It is therefore imperative to involve the consumers in the development process to
ensure the end product meets their needs. This will not only save time but costs in the
manufacturing process.
Health care personnel need also to be proactive and educate themselves either individually or
through continues education in health care institutions. Moreover, they should be encouraged
to be innovators themselves as they understand the consumers` needs better. It is of utmost
importance to remember that should not completely take charge of the roles that health care
workers play in health promotion.
26
Although not very many studies have been carried out with elderly, it is true that once grown
children have moved out, there is a vacuum left behind that most often times is filled with
friends. Friendships become more important among the elderly because of that connection
with the entire community. For older adults who have restrained moved due to illness, a visit
from friends and families creates an environment of sharing health information or memories
which is important for social connectedness. Example of social gatherings includes, knitting
clubs, baby-sitting, wellness club especially walking, tea club and religious prayer meetings.
It is evident that older adults who are active participants in their social lives show an
improved psychological well-being.
Therefore, technology does play an essential role in enhancing elderly well-being. The results
of the study have confirmed that through various technologies, the health and well-being of
the elderly significantly improved.
These technologies have played a role in connecting
families together despite of their geographical location, improved their knowledge not only
on recognition but also how to operate them and, enhanced their independency.
27
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33
Appendix
Appendix 1
Data analysis
Authenticated
Reduced
Sub class
A personal description by an invalid elderly person with hip
and knee injuries on how modern technology is used to assist
her to get up from the bed or the floor. The machine is
activated by a switch button and an under mat slid under the
seat.
Raising up is more easier
Invacare stand
The use of a panic button worn around the neck of an elderly
person. It has been designed to sit well as a jewellery to avoid
stigma. It is used to send alerts in case of danger i.e. a fall to
relevant personnel. It is ideal for the elderly because of its
simplicity and most importantly, enhances independent living.
A
simple
emergency
portable button
button
A small Gore-Tex patch with a subdermal probe that monitors
blood sugar levels and a chip, which transmits data back to a
mobile phone and displays a warning signal. It is used for
diabetic sufferers
The use of Ipad to access the internet by visiting different
sites.
Blood sugar monitoring
device
Blood
patch
chip
Internet access through
Ipad
Ipad
Programmes on ICT developed in Ireland to provide computer
literacy and adaptive devices for the aging, vision impaired
community
Development
of
ICT
projects for the aging
population
ICT services
Research work on the use of CIT technology for cognitive
stimulation, exercise, puzzles, and games, to maintain mental
health.
Research on technologies
for cognitive stimulation
Cognitive
stimulation
Tele-Physical examination and Tele-Care Systems for elderly
diagnosis and treatment. It comprises of graphs and diagnostic
tools which allow them self-examination. The results are then
transmitted to medical community. This is a joint venture
between the scientific developers, the medical community,
and the elderly participants
Tele-Physical and telecare systems that allow
the elderly to examine
themselves
self-diagnostic
tools
sugar
and a